post Monday October 8, 2012
Neelie Kroes, the vice president of the European Commission and Commissioner, in her speech given at The 2012 Intellectual Property and Innovation Summit, The Lisbon Council, has raised the hope for a Europe where the rights of artists can be protected unanimously. At the beginning of her speech, she noted that her aim was to emphasize the importance of copyright in today’s digital world. She sees copyright reform as the suitable solution for the lack of protection which might endanger the existence of the artists.
The vice president draws a line between the past and present of the creative sector: 15 years ago creativity was limited to a few artists and there were a mere handful of people creating. However, today every member of the society is encouraged to share his idea and vision, having all the necessary platforms and tools to do that. Thus the role of the policymakers becomes more important and as such the objectives should be better aimed for. She argues that the European Commission and Commissionershould strive to help artists to earn their living from their art, while also stimulating creativity and innovation. The solution should promote cultural heritage and drive economic growth. She emphasized the complexity of the issue and that the problem cannot be solved in isolation.
The World Intellectual Property Organisation and an increasing number of member states are recognized as crucial helpers in the fight for artists rights. However, she draws a picture about a future where a common European solution is at hand, one that avoids the fragmentation of the European Digital Single Market and where all the possible benefits are attained.
Neelie Kroes also urged the review of the 2001 Copyright directive, as it was already set out last year in the Commission's IPR Strategy, so that the benefits of artists, consumers, and that of the economyare in angle. This should be done through a critical approach, by keeping an open mind to new ideas from various sources and focusing on relevance.
Source: Europa, Novagraaf Intellectual Property
Image Source: Free Digital Prints
